Michigan Wolverines Have Issue After Russell Bellomy's Torn ACL

By Andy Schmidt

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The expectations of the Michigan Wolverines are always very high. Michigan finished last season 8-5 after losing their bowl game. The team is already dealing with injuries before the 2013 season gets started with backup quarterback Russell Bellomy lost for the entire season with a torn ACL. That injury is going to put a ton of pressure on Devin Gardner with no real backup behind him.

Bellomy played some last season for Michigan, and although he wasn’t terribly good, he was expected to be the backup this year. Denard Robinson has graduated and everyone knew that this season would be all about Gardner as the team’s quarterback. I have noticed more than ever with college football that you need a capable backup at one point or another. What will Michigan do if Gardner gets hurt now? The hopes and dreams of the fans in Ann Arbor go right down the tubes basically.

The injury to Bellomy is a bigger deal than a lot of people want to admit. Bellomy comes from the football-rich state of Texas, and I honestly think the possibility was there that he would have had the starting job from the end of the season. Michigan is going to be really hoping that they can get Gardner through the whole season now without anything happening to him. There is a very fine line that the Wolverines are going to be walking this season with a backup who has at least some experience. The backup will likely be senior Jack Kennedy, who has thrown one pass in his career. I don’t like those odds if Gardner goes down. There will be a lot of nervous Michigan fans this season.

Andy Schmidt is a columnist/writer for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter @ASchmidtSports, like his Facebook page or add him to your network on Google.